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Grid Modeling and Map Algebra:

Calculating a Habitat Corridor

Geomatics 2022
Cartography: Digital Mapping
February 15, 2009
Joe Fraser
Description of the Exercise
Calculating a habitat corridor requires a the habitat of deer.
number of variables. First, two areas of suitable Corridor impedance is a grid made from
habitat must be determined. Secondly, a path variables detrimental to the habitat of deer. Paved
between these two areas must be mapped, roads serve vehicle traffic, and deer need to be a
connecting the two in a corridor. The suitable certain distance from a source of water the
habitat grid is made up of four variables in this protection of the forest.
exercise: proximity to dirt roads, water, and forest The overall goal of the exercise is to find the
edge, and the fourth variable is percentage of slope. best path according to the variables of suitability
Each of these is ranked from 1 to 10, with lower and impedance to connect two existing habitats.
numbers assigned to the cells most favourable to

Part 1: Building a Deer Suitability Grid


Proximity to Resource Road Grid

Step 1: Selecting Unpaved Roads

Because deer are drawn to the edges of forest clearings,


low-traffic roads provide two areas where they are likely
to be found. To include unpaved roads in the deer
suitability grid, select them from the “q_rd” file. Shown
below at left is the resultant unpaved roads grid, at
right the unpaved roads grid is compared to the paved Figure 1: “select” command

roads proximity grid created later on, to make sure that


a paved road and an unpaved road do not overlap. In
this case two roads were removed because of this
comparison.

Figure 2: “unpaved_rd1” Figure 3: “unpaved_rd1” vs. “proximity to paved roads

Step 2: Buffer the Unpaved Roads

A temporary grid is needed to show the graduated


distance from the paved roads. This grid will be re-
classed to be used as the resource road proximity
suitability grid.

Figure 4: “eucdistance” command


Figure 5: “road_suit_tmp”

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Step 3: Reclass Using a Remap Table

Using the remap table, the proximity to the center of the


dirt road is given a ranking, with 1 as the most suitable,
10 as the least. In this remap table, the actual road is
given a value of 100 to discount that area. The best
areas assigned in the remap table are from 1m to 75m,
with up to 150m as preferred. Further than that the
area is less valuable, and from 250m to the end of the
eucdistance at 1205 are set to 10. Below is the grid.

Figure 6: “reclass” command Figure 7: “unpavedroad_suit.txt” remap table

Figure 8: “road_suit”

Step 4: Proximity to Riparian Areas Suitability

The process of determining suitable locations according


to proximity to watercourses begins with a eucdistance
on a grid with the streams and rivers.

Figure 9 “eucdistance” command Figure 10 “water_temp”

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Step 5: Using the Remap Table to Reclass

Similar to the unpaved road remap table, water_suit.txt


is used to classify the distance away from the stream. A
value of 10 is given to anything beyond 250m, assuming
that deer need to stay relatively close to a source of
water. The stream itself is given 100 as well, and the
area within 100m is the most suitable. The grid Figure 12 “reclass” command
water_suit will be used as a variable in the deer
suitability grid.
Figure 11 “water_suit.txt” remap table

Figure 13 “water_suit”

Step 6: Field Edge Proximity Suitability

Here is an example of a nested command. Using the


select function, a eucdistance of 10 is created on only
the value of 10 from the previously created field grid.
The value of 10 represents the edges of the field.

Figure 14: nested commands Figure 15 “water_suit”


“select” and “eucdistance

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Step 7: Buffering the Edges of the Fields

Eucdistance provides a buffer from the edge of the


fields. Again, this grid will be reclassed to create a
ranked suitability grid.

Figure 16 “eucdistance” command Figure 17 “f_edge_buf”

Step 8: Creating a Field_suit Grid

Field_suit.txt is used to reclassify the values in the


field_buf grid. Areas further than 250 metres are
classified as being undesirable. This way, land close to
orchards is weighted higher, assuming that the food
Figure 19 “reclass” command using a remap table
deer like to eat best grows within a short range of the
clearing edge. Below is field_suit, the grid that will be
the third variable in the habitat suitability grid. Figure 18 “field_suit.txt” remap table

Figure 10: “streams_ord”

Figure 20: “field_suit”

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Step 9: Slope Suitability

Using the dem1 grid, Spatial Analyst can create a slope


grid with percentages.

Figure 23: “dem1”

Figure 22: Spatial Analyst Dialogue

Figure 21: Spatial Analyst Menu

Step 10: Reclassing the Slope Percentage Grid

Using the assumption that deer are fairly sure-footed


animals, the slope_suit grid was created. Grades of 0 to
10% were given a value of 1, and up to 50% slope was
characterized as acceptable. Values of 50 to 75% aren’t
prohibitive if other values in the deer suitability grid are Figure 24: “Slope_Percent”
favourable, but grades greater than 75% were ruled out.
Slope is an important factor to consider when terrain is
varied, as a chasm or rock outcrop can interrupt a
corridor and render calculations incorrect if forgotten.

Figure 26: “reclass” command

Figure 25: “slope_suit.txt”

Figure 27: “slope_suit”

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Step 11: Creating the Deer Suitability Grid

The deer suitability grid is made up of the four above


grids: road_suit, water_suit, field_suit, and slope_suit.
At right, the map algebra formula shows the weighting
of these variables, with water and field proximity being 3
and 2 times more important, respectively, than road and
slope suitability. The resultant grid is shown below. Figure 28: adding weighted grids

Figure 29: “deer_suit”

Part 2: Creating Hexagon Patches


Step 1: Create a Point Grid

The first step in creating the hexagon patches is to


make the point grid with the queens_clip boundary
extent. The distance between the triangulated points is
537.29, to create a final output of 25 hectares.
Figure 30a: GeoWizards menu Figure 30b: GeoWizards menu

Figure 30c: GeoWizards menu Figure 30d: GeoWizards menu

Figure 31: “point_537”

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Step 2: Build Thiessen Polygons

Based on the points grid created in step 1, Thiessen


polygons can be made. These are the hexagonal patches
that will be filled with an average value using the zonal
mean command.
Figure 32b: Build Polygons Menu
Figure 32a: Build Thiessen Polygons Menu

Figure 32c: Build Polygons Menu

Figure 33: “hex_537”

Step 3: Cleaning the Polygons

The polygons need to be cleaned using the ET


GeoWizards add-on before they are converted to a grid.

Figure 34a: Clean Polygons Menu Figure 34b: Clean Polygons Menu

Figure 34c: Clean Polygons Menu Figure 34d: Clean Polygons Menu

Figure 35: “hex_537c”

Step 4: Converting Polygons

Finally, the polygons can be


converted to grid using the
ET_ID field. This ensures each
hexagon has a unique
identifier. The reason a Figure 36: Convert Features to Raster
standardized hexagon patch is
used is because of its shape -
unlike a square, the hexagon
is equidistant each adjacent
hexagon, making it ideal for
costpath analysis or direction Figure 37: “hex_537c2”
grids. Using a square shape
favours the squares above,
below and to the side.

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Part 3: Prepare a Zonal Mean Grid
Create a Zonal Mean Grid

Using the deer suitability grid, a zonal mean command


fills in the hexagon patches with the average value.
What is created is in essence an average of the areas
deer are likely to prosper, ranked from low (most
suitable, 2.73) to high (unsuitable, 47).
Figure 38: “zonalmean” command

Figure 39: “Patchmean1”

Part 4: Selecting the Largest Habitats


Step 1: Recoding the Patchmean1 Grid

Patchmean1 is now recoded


to show the groups of
habitats within 5.5 metres
of the best habitats. The
area is small and precise
Figure 40: recoding Patchmean1
because all of the ranking
values were kept relatively close together.

Figure 41: “hab_patch6”

Step 2: Assign a Unique Number

The regiongroup command


can assign each habitat
cluster a unique number.
The grid is shown at left. Figure 42: “regiongroup” command

Figure 43: “hab_clust1”

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Step 3: Selecting the Largest Habitat Clusters

The two largest habitat clusters are cluster 3 and


cluster 17. Using the select command, two new grids are
created containing only the values of 3 and 17,
respectively. Below, these two clusters are show above Figure 44a: “select” command Figure 44b: “select” command
the rest of the clusters.

Figure 45: Clusters 3 and 17

Part 5: Creating a Corridor Impedance Grid

Corridor Impedance

The easiest way to figure


out the barriers to a
clear corridor. In this
equation, the mean is Figure 46: “mean” command
found from the grids road_cor_suit, water_suit, and
deer_suit. Road_cor_suit was made from a reclass of a
buffer of all the paved roads, shown on page 2. This
ensures that paved roads are given a low suitability
ranking. This grid will be used to figure out the
costdistance paths between the two habitat areas.
Figure 46: “cor_imp” grid

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Part 6: Cost Distance Grids
Cost3 and Cost17 Grids

Using the cor_imp grid, a costdistance command


provides a way to show the path of least resistance for
grids cost3 and cost17. The results are shown below Figure 47a: “costdistance” command Figure 47b: “costdistance” command

Figure 48: “cost17” grid Figure 49: “cost3” grid

Cost3 and Cost17 Grids

Once the costdistance grids


have been created, the
corridor command can
create the best path
between the two clusters.
Below is the final corridor Figure 50: “corridor” command
grid cor3-17 shown with the best 5% of the contoured
results highlighted.

Figure 51: “cor_3-17” grid

Figure 52: “cor_3-17” with contours


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Model Builder

Figure 53: Model Builder Diagram

Sources and Software


Software:
- ArcGIS 9.3 with Spatial Analyst
- CorelDRAW X4
- CorelCAPTURE X4

Source Data:
- Terrain Data DEM from NSCC AVC LAN
- NSGC Contours and Hydrography
- Department of Natural Resources: Forcov.shp and Biosys.shp
- LANDSAT DATA 7TM for deriving Orchard.shp

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